Liverpool Arabic Arts Festival 2012 Programme Announced

Liverpool Arabic Arts Festival Programme Announced

Liverpool Arabic Arts Festival, the only festival of its kind in the UK, returns to the city from 6 - 15 July after a record 10th year in 2011. With a packed programme of music, dance, performance, visual art, comedy, debates, talks, workshops, film, exhibitions and poetry - including many free events - this year’s festival promises to be bigger than ever.

Key events include a World Premiere at Liverpool Philharmonic Hall on 15th July from the Alif Ensemble and the play Rest Upon the Wind at Unity Theatre from veteran actor and writer Nadim Sawalha. Festival goers can also enjoy a breathtaking solo piece from ballet dancer Ayman Safiah at St Georges Hall on 14 July. The talented young dancer has been dubbed ‘The Arab Billy Elliot’ and has just been snapped up by dance guru Matthew Bourne’s company New Adventures.

Razanne Carmey, Executive Director, Liverpool Arabic Arts Festival said: “This year’s Festival looks ‘Behind the News’ of political change in the Arab world.  Yes the riots and demonstrations, yes the calls for dictators to ‘Leave! Leave! Leave!’ But who are the people on the streets, when they go home?  We want to know the truth behind the news, the life behind the news and the loves, tears and laughter of the news makers.  And here in Liverpool, LAAF will let us sample and participate in the rich art and culture of so many countries and communities.”

Another festival highlight is a comedy performance from internationally renowned comedienne and actress, New York based Maysoon Zayid, who brings Laughing Widely to St Georges Hall on 14 July. Maysoon has featured on Comedy Central’s The Watch List, PBS’s America at a Crossroads: Muslim Comics Stand Up, and in Adam Sandler’s You Don’t Mess With Zohan. Maysoon is also holding a comedy workshop at the Bluecoat on 13 July.

See an exhibition and debate of satirical cartoons at the Walker Art Gallery throughout the festival period (6-15 July) from Reem Abdelhadi. His work Laughing at the Government explores and discusses the history of Arab political humour and the art of drawing cartoons.

LAAF 2012 also sees the return of the ever popular Family day at Sefton Park on 8 July, where visitors of all ages can indulge in a sensory experience of the Arabic world with an afternoon of colour, live music, dance, workshops, stalls and food centred around the park’s beautiful Palm House.

Taher Qassim MBE, Chair, Liverpool Arabic Arts Festival said: “Since its inception in 1998, Liverpool Arabic Arts Festival has grown to become one of the key events on the North West festival calendar. This year is no exception, with an amazing array of vibrant and diverse acts that will attract thousands of visitors, 2012 is looking to be our biggest and most exciting year to date”.

Marcel Khalife, Patron, Liverpool Arabic Arts Festival said: “This year’s events reflect the quality and diversity of arts, education and sheer enjoyment we have come to connect with the only festival of its kind in the UK. I believe the artist is by nature a rebel and one must be rebellious with all creative projects; the 2012 festival is a celebration of the ongoing cultural expression within the Arab world. The festival’s mass appeal is self evident; join in and be part of it”

    

FULL FESTIVAL LISTINGS

COMEDY, DANCE & PERFORMANCE

Funoon Al Jazeera

Saturday 7 July 7.30pm, the Bluecoat £10/£8

Go beyond belly dance! This Arabian Folk dance performance explores the history, diversity, and depth of the Arab culture. With the explosion of Belly dance popularity, the origin of this phenomenon is often forgotten. For the first time, UK dance communities come together to create a dance show and a Journey--Michwar-- to “Aljazeera Alarabia.”

Book: www.thebluecoat.org.uk 0151 702 5324

Merseyside Arabic Dance Showcase Saturday 14 July, 8pm, Unity Theatre, £10/£8 Enjoy an enchanting evening of music and dance performances from North Africa and beyond. Co-ordinated by Caroline Afifi, one of the founding members of the Liverpool Arabic Arts Festival.

Book: www.unitytheatreliverpool.co.uk Tel: 0844 873 2888

Rest Upon the Wind Tuesday 10 July, 8:00pm, Unity Theatre, £12/£10 ‘A little while, a moment of rest upon the wind, and another woman shall bear me.’ Inspired by Khalil Gibran’s book, The Prophet, published in 1923 and selling over a hundred million copies, it’s the story of Middle Eastern immigrants forced through Ottoman oppression and wars seeking refuge in America. Scintillating, electric, with live music and stunning visual imagery. Written by Nadim Sawalha. 16+ Book: www.unitytheatreliverpool.co.uk Tel: 0844 873 2888

1979

Thursday 12th July, 8pm, Unity Theatre £10/£8 1979, Iraq and Iran lead by Saddam Hussein and Ayatollah Khomeini engage in a devastating Gulf-war. A million Iraqi and Iranian soldiers and civilians are estimated to have died. In an installation-dance-performance, two artists born during that war draw the audience into their memories, where a human life was worth less than a dog’s explored in new ways through the beauty of dance. A Moussem production with the support of the EU Culture programme. 16+ Book: www.unitytheatreliverpool.co.uk Tel: 0844 873 2888

Nadim Sawalha: An Arab Actor, for Better for Worse Monday 9 July 7.30pm, the Bluecoat £3/2 concessions The celebrated actor reflects on 50 years in British show business, stories and anecdotes.

Book: www.thebluecoat.org.uk 0151 702 5324

A Star is Born: Emerging Talent Saturday 14 July, 6.30pm Concert Room, St Georges Hall, £5/£4 Including a solo piece from ballet dancer Ayman Safiah (the Arab Billy Elliot).

Maysoon Zayid: Laughing Widely

Saturday 14 July, 8pm, Concert Room, St Georges Hall. £12.50. Group discounts. Maysoon Zayid is an actress and professional stand up comedian, you may have seen her on Comedy Central’s The Watch List, PBS’s America at a Crossroads: Muslim Comics Stand Up, and in Adam Sandler’s You Don’t Mess With Zohan. Maysoon has performed stand-up in top New York clubs, and has toured extensively in the USA as well as Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. In April 2001, she founded Maysoon’s Kids, a scholarship and wellness program for disabled and wounded refugee children and orphans in Palestine. A great night of comedy from a unique lady. Find out more at www.maysoon.com Book via Liverpool Philharmonic Hall: 0151 709 3789

DEBATE, TALKS, WORKSHOPS & POETRY

Freedom Hour 7, 8 and 14 July 2 – 3pm 9, 10, 11 and 12 July 5.30 – 6.30pm the Bluecoat, FREE Daily debates on current affairs, freedom and change in the Arab world. We hear from some who are directly involved; with daily debates on current affairs, freedom and change. Listen and speak up at this open forum with artists and commentators from Liverpool Arabic Arts Festival.

Fleeing Words Tuesday 10 July, 5pm, the Bluecoat, FREE An anthology of Tunisian fiction, poetry and articles; freedom of speech after the revolution.

Maysoon Zayid Workshop (Arab Comedy Festival)

Friday 13 July, the Bluecoat Come and take part in this fantastic workshop where you’ll learn the basics of stand up and how to pursue a career in it.

Book: www.thebluecoat.org.uk 0151 702 5324

Sufi Dance Workshop Wednesday 11th July 4-6pm, MDI £4.50/£4 Come and join us for this exciting dance workshop, open to all levels from beginner to advanced. Explore the technique of Sufi dance from Iraq led by esteemed performer Duraid Abbas, also performing in the dance piece 1979 as part of the festival. Don’t miss out on this unique experience to engage and develop skills directly from Arab performance and culture. To Book: 0151 708 8810 www.mdi.org.uk

Bidisha: Reading and Conversation followed by Freedom Hour Monday 9th July, 5.30pm, the Bluecoat FREE Bidisha is a writer, critic and broadcaster. She presents the arts and culture series on BBC radio and TV, and has written extensively. Join us for a reading from her fourth book, Beyond the Wall: Writing A Path Through Palestine “an unflinching portrait of life in the West Bank in the 21st Century.” (The Observer). She will be discussing the impact of military occupation on ordinary people.

Reem Abdelhadi: Laughing at the Government Sunday 15th July, 3.30pm, Liverpool Philharmonic Hall, FREE Part of the Afternoon Symposium. Reem discusses the history of Arab political humour and the art of drawing cartoons. With an insightful overview of the development of this art form and how it deals with the human condition in social, economic and political terms; learn more about the role of political cartoons in influencing and reflecting the mood of the people. When cartoons say what journalists are afraid to, this is a fascinating event for all. 

FILM

Films at FACT (Foundation for Art and Creative Technology) and Kazimier are in partnership with the Arab Film Festival, curated by Omar Kholeif at FACT.

Pre Launch: Double Bill Tuesday 12 June 6.30pm, FACT

I Want to See (15) (Je Veux Voir) (Liverpool Premiere) FACT £5/4 Poignant road movie. French screen icon Catherine Deneuve journeys through war- torn Lebanon, with the enigmatic actor Rabih Mroué as her guide. I Want to See is a stunning homage to cinema, that transcends the devastation of conflicted histories. Information and booking: 0871 902 5737

Incendies (15) 8pm, FACT £5/4 French and Arabic with English subtitles Oscar nominated adaptation of Wajdi Mouawad’s play Scorched is one of the greatest films of the last decade. It is a powerful tale of family ties, duty and the inescapable links between past and present. Following the death of their mother, twins Jeanne (Melissa Desormeaux-Poulin) and Simon (Maxim Gaudette) are shocked to discover that they have a brother and that the father they believed to be dead is still alive. Their mother’s final wish is that they should deliver sealed letters to the two men.

The Three Disappearances of Soad Hosni (PG) (Liverpool Premiere) Friday 6 July 9pm The Kazimier Outdoor Screen, FREE , Arabic / English subtitles An award-winning elegy to the richest era of film production in Egypt, seen through the work of one of its most revered actresses. Pieced together from footage of her films, it tells the story of Hosni’s life up until her death in 2001. The film follows the LAAF festival launch and is an experience not to be missed! Information and booking: www.fact.co.uk 0871 902 5737

Ghussoun Saturday 7 July 1pm, the Bluecoat, FREE A moving and intimate fly on the wall documentary about a young Iraqi woman in Jordan. followed by Freedom Hour discussion.

Book: www.thebluecoat.org.uk 0151 702 5324

Caramel Sunday 8 July, 7pm, the Bluecoat, FREE Make sure you’re there for this great romantic comedy about five Lebanese women living in Beirut. Book: www.thebluecoat.org.uk 0151 702 5324

Double Bill: Nomad’s Home + From Palestine with Love (PG)

Monday 9th July, 6.30pm, FACT, FREE – Booking Essential (UK Premiere)

Nomad’s Home (PG)

Supported by the DIFF Dubai Film Connection. Winner of Best Arab Documentary at the Dubai International Film Festival. An Egyptian filmmaker’s journey to the militarised Sinai Peninsula Information and booking: www.fact.co.uk 0871 902 5737

From Palestine With Love (PG)

Maya is a dancer living in the occupied Palestinian territories. She plans a life with her Swedish boyfriend in Stockholm, where she wants to study. But the road from dream to reality is filled with obstacles – in the shape of her family’s expectations and the Swedish bureaucracy. Warm and subtly romantic. Information and booking: www.fact.co.uk 0871 902 5737

Axis of Light (PG) Monday 9 July, 8.30pm, Fact, £4/£3 Northwest Premiere.

A poignant and absorbing observation of the changing contemporary art scene in the wider ‘Middle East’. This is Pia Getty’s third film project and features: Jananne Al-Ani, Ayman Balbaaki, Mona Saudi, Mona Hatoum, Etel Adnan, Youssef Nabil, Rachid Koraichi and Shirin Neshat. Information and booking: www.fact.co.uk 0871 902 5737

VHS Kahloucha (15) Tuesday 10 July 6.00pm, FACT £5/4 UK Premiere.

An explosive documentary on amateur filmmaker Moncef Kahloucha -- a North African Ed Wood, tells the kitsch and campy story of one of Tunisia’s underground film icons. Information and booking: www.fact.co.uk 0871 902 5737

El Shooq/Lust (15)(UK Premiere) Wednesday 11 July 6.30pm FACT, £6/5 Selected as Egypt’s official entry for the Academy Awards in 2011. We enter the lives of the inhabitants of a marginalised street in Alexandria before the revolution.

Information and booking: www.fact.co.uk 0871 902 5737

Okay, Enough, Goodbye (12) Thursday 12 July 6.30pm, FACT, £5/£4 UK Premiere with Cornerhouse, Manchester In the city of Tripoli where family bonds run deep, a forty-year-old lives with his elderly mother and has given up on becoming independent. One day she suddenly leaves him and he is left with nothing but the company of the small city. Dark, melancholic and yet with a wistful comedy this is an adult man’s coming of age. The debut feature from two exciting filmmakers on the international film circuit, dubbed by the Guardian as filmmakers putting Arab cinema on the map. Information and booking: www.fact.co.uk 0871 902 5737

Lion of the Desert Saturday 14 July 12noon, the Bluecoat, £3/£2 This movie classic starring Anthony Quinn and Oliver Reed is set between two worlds wars and depicts the struggle for freedom in the African desert.

Book: www.thebluecoat.org.uk 0151 702 5324

EXHIBITIONS

Reading Emotions 6-29 July, Thomas Steers Way, Liverpool ONE , FREE Love, rejection, joy, fear, thinking, forgetting, compassion, belonging, contentment, courage, patience, peace. Children’s visual presentation of emotions through a series of photographic artwork and Arabic calligraphy. Produced as part of Liverpool Arabic Centre’s Education Project for Children and young people exploring messages to the Five Ways to Health and Wellbeing in partnership with the Community Development Team, Liverpool PCT and The Haven Project for Asylum and Refugee Children and Young People, Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust.

Laughing at the Government 6-15 July, 10am-5pm Daily Walker Art Gallery, FREE A glimpse of the very important and ever-changing art of satirical cartoons from the Arab World. Rich with political and social humour, these cartoons reflect the laughter and pain of a nation more honestly than most other art forms. Rolling digital slide presentation with comments and explanation. Curated by Reem AbdelHadi. See ‘talks’ for special seminar on Arab cartoons.

HIGHLIGHT EVENTS & FOOD

The Arab Street Saturday 7 July 1pm-9pm, the Bluecoat/City Centre, FREE Includes discounted & free events. Street dance, music, food, performance and film.

Family Day Sunday 8 July 12.30-5.30pm, Sefton Park Palm House, FREE A fantastic, ever popular event that’s not to be missed; join us and indulge in a sensory experience of the Arabic world with an afternoon of colour, live music, dance, workshops, stalls and food suitable for all.

Come to Kasbah Monday 9 July, 3pm and 5pm, Kasbah £4.99/head From tasty tagines to stuffed aubergines, Kasbah offers a delight of Moroccan treats; see how these exceptional dishes are prepared and enjoy some lovely samples to whet your appetite. Limited capacity. Booking essential.

Please quote ‘Liverpool Arabic Arts Festival’ when booking: 0151 707 7744.

Syrian Cuisine Wednesday 11 July, Sahara Restaurant 8pm £13/head Come and sample the unique delights of Syrian cuisine and learn all about creating some interesting dishes for yourself a tantalising feast for the taste buds.

Yemen Day

Friday 13 July, 5pm, Liverpool Arabic Centre, FREE A vibrant day of music, film, food, Yemeni culture and more, all in the heart of L8. Come and join us for a vivid and exciting afternoon for all to enjoy. Please see www.arabicartsfestival.co.uk for more details.

The Big Saturday Saturday 14 July, 12:00 noon, the Bluecoat FREE and paying events. A day of music, debate, film, poetry and food including Libyan poet Khaled Mattawa and live music in the garden. Includes two fantastic one hour Belly Dance workshops introducing the basic movements and music of Egyptian Raqs Sharqi given by Sirocco Academy of Egyptian Dance (SAED) teachers. Please see www.arabicartsfestival.co.uk for full highlights of the day.

MUSIC

Afternoon Symposium: Khyam Allami with Maurice Louca and TamerAbu Ghazaleh In Conversation Sunday 15 July  1.30pm Rodewald Suite, Liverpool Philharmonic Hall. Free to ticket holders for the evening concert. Join Khyam and the musicians of the Alif Ensemble for a wide ranging discussion. How does tradition inform contemporary composition in his music? What influences are at play to create a sound so contemporary and bewitching? And how have the extraordinary changes in the Arab world affected its artists and their work? A great lead into the evening’s performance.

Alif Ensemble

Sunday 15 July, 7.30pm, Liverpool Philharmonic Hall, £15/£22.50 World premiere. New music conceived by Iraqi oud player Khyam Allami, with a band of musicians from traditional and contemporary Arabic music disciplines from Syria, Lebanon, Egypt, Jordan and Palestine. The core of the Alif Ensemble features composer of alternative Arabic music, oud & buzuq player and vocalist Tamer Abu Ghazaleh and Egyptian electronica composer and pioneer Maurice Louca.

The premiere in Liverpool is presented by Liverpool Philharmonic as part of Liverpool Arabic Arts Festival 2012 and the London 2012 Festival. Created for BT River of Music, part of the London 2012 Festival, which is supported by National Lottery Funds through the Olympic Lottery Distributor and Arts Council England, and produced by Serious. Book: www.liverpoolphil.com Tel: 0151 709 3789.

Article posted by Musicmafia

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Simon Fowler (Ocean Colour Scene) plays The Philharmonic Hall Liverpool

Performing songs from his new solo album

Monday 23rd April 2012

Rodewald Suite -The Philharmonic Hall, Liverpool 

Tickets available at The Philharmonic Box Office £15

Simon Fowler has announced he will be playing an intimate gig, showcasing his newly released folk album Merrymouth, with his backing band at the Rodewald Suite in the Philharmonic Hall in Liverpool on Monday 23rd April 2012. Tickets are priced £15 and available from  the Philharmonic box office.

Best known as lead vocalist and guitarist with Britpoppers Ocean Colour Scene, Simon Fowler has also provided backing vocals for ‘Modfather’ Paul Weller and folk artist Kate Rusby.

Ocean Colour Scene are one of the most successful bands to have come out of the Britpop explosion of the mid-nineties, famously knocking Oasis’ Be Here Now off the UK Album Chart top spot with 1997 record Marchin’ Already. Popular hits include The Day We Caught The Train and TFI Friday intro track The Riverboat Song.

Simon has been working with Pledge Music to release his new album, Merrymouth, which features the award winning folk musicians, John McCusker and Andy Cutting.

Pledge Music is an online direct-to-fan and fan-funded music platform, launched in August 2009, that facilitates musicians (artists) reaching out to their fan-base (termed pledgers) to financially contribute to upcoming recordings or other musical projects.

Simon and his band Dan Sealey, Mike McNamara & Adam Barry will be doing a handful of dates in April to support the album. Whist Ocean Colour Scene take most of the 2012 off to concentrate on writing material for a new album Simon Fowler has taken the opportunity to release his long awaited folk album.

Article posted by Musicmafia

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Wow ....A celebration of the Music, Lyrics and Dance of Kate Bush at the Liverpool Philharmonic

Thursday 12 April 2012 @ Liverpool Philharmonic Hall, Hope Street, Liverpool, L1 9BP

Tel: 0151 709 3789 www.liverpoolphil.com

Tickets from £15.00 to £21.00 Doors 7.00pm

‘’I’ve craved for my own troupe of Gypsies, my own show, the chance to take a trip with you’
Kate Bush – 1979


 ‘Wow’ is the brainchild of Liverpool promoter Spike Beecham and sees the introduction of talented Dutch performer, Maaike Breijma. Not only does Maaike share her birthday with the icon, she is blessed with an uncanny resemblance both in her appearance, performance and vocally with the singer.  Maaike is set to astound audiences worldwide, as she sings Kate Bush’s greatest songs and performs many of the dance routines by Kate Bush on stage and in video.


Maaike is backed by a band of top Liverpool musicians and dancers under a production designed by the team that brought you Lord of the Dance.


Since the release of her debut album, The Kick Inside in February 1978, Kate Bush has toured just the once, performing 25 shows across the UK and Europe in April and May 1979. Despite this fact Kate’s albums are still as popular today as they were upon release, her new album, 50 Words for Snow, went straight into the top ten of the album charts.


The first live date of Kate Bush's one and only tour started in Liverpool in 1979. “Kate’s fans have waited over 30 years to see what we believe will be the next best thing to the real thing. It seems only fitting to launch the show in Liverpool” says promoter Spike Beecham.


Maaike was first brought to Spike’s attention after a close friend saw her perform as Kate Bush at a festival in Belfast. Being a massive fan of Kate Bush he was intrigued and made contact last year.  Coincidentally two industry insiders had also recommended him to Maaike, one of which was the late Sam Jones from the 02 Liverpool Academy.


“I'm really looking forward to playing in Liverpool. I've actually never been in Liverpool other than for this project, but I’m working with all these talented people from the City which has already given me plenty of good memories” says Maaike, whose own musical tastes range from Sigur Ros to Joni Mitchell. Although pressed to choose her favourite albums, Kate Bush’s The Dreaming is up there with The Beatles White Album and Blue by Joni Mitchell.


So why Kate Bush? “There's various reasons. Not only do I love her songs musically, but each and every single one of her songs tells a story, either humorous or cruel or witty or intelligent and I love bringing these stories to life. Furthermore I've always loved the magic of the theatre and dancing and dressing up, and this project gives me the chance to combine all those things”
So what can we expect from the show? “While we're still in the rehearsal process it's a little bit of a guess which songs will be my favourite to perform, as they might be different from the ones I love most to sing at home or to listen to. I'm really looking forward to performing Breathing, Them Heavy People and Army Dreamers. I won't say anything more about the set list though.” Says Maakie.


“It was important to me that this show was treated as if I was putting together a show for Kate Bush and our idea of what we believe Kate Bush would have done with the songs she never performed live. We have an amazing live band, taken the elements of dance we found in videos and from footage of Kate's one and only tour and used these as a basis for some newly choreographed routines.”


“We have also brought high production values to the show and will enhance Maaike's performance with video, lighting and set design. As well as providing a stunning vocal performance and elements of dance, Maaike is also a musician and will play piano on some of the songs in the set” adds Spike.


 Exclusive performance and interview for Liverpool Live TV

http://liverpool-live.tv/music/session-maaike-breijman-performs-kate-bush-at-the-liverpool-philharmonic/

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Liverpool Philharmonic what's on this season

www.liverpoolphil.com

Box office 0151 709 3789 

Get ready for a packed season ahead at The Philharmonic Hall from folk to funk, through soul, roots, jazz and pop.  

James Hanks, Liverpool Philharmonic spokesman said,  ‘We are announcing some genuinely exciting new concerts between now and the end of Summer. Our commitment to folk music continues with a number of the genre’s best artists visiting us including Mawkin, The Imagined Village, the Unthanks,  Andy Irvine, and we are delighted to welcome Nora Guthrie, Woody Guthrie’s daughter, for a Woody Guthrie Folk Night Special. We are able to announce shows by some of the world’s finest country and Americana musicians. The Ladies of Country in May sees five of the genre’s leading ladies all on the same bill. We bring Alison Krauss and Union Station up from the Olympics celebrations and we are currently putting the finishing touches to our Americana Night on the 28 July which will be a celebration of all things bluegrass and Cajun.'  

Michael Eakin, Chief Executive of Liverpool Philharmonic said,‘We are delighted to be working with DaDa Fest for the first time this year as a host venue. The festival has become an important part of Liverpool’s arts calendar, attracting international artists as seen in the return of an artist of the calibre of Evelyn Glennie to the city for the first time in a decade. Liverpool Philharmonic last worked with Evelyn in 2002 when she gave the world premiere performance with the Orchestra of Ignition, a percussion concerto written especially for her by David Horne, our composer-in-residence at the time.  We are looking forward to welcoming her back for what will undoubtedly be an inspiring solo recital and talk.’

Tony Christie, Friday 27 April 7.30pm, £22.50, £25, £31

Christie has had an illustrious career spanning 40  years. He has sold over 10 million records including  the hits I Did What I Did For Maria, Is This the Way  to Amarillo and Avenues and Alleyways. His recent chart successes include Sweet September, the Jarvis Cocker song Walk Like a Panther and the Comic Relief version of Is This the Way to Amarillo which became the biggest selling No1 single of 2005. Last year Christie released another charity single, Steal The Sun, with all proceeds going to Afghan Heroes, a charity supporting the British Forces in Afghanistan

The Ladies Of Country, 

Thursday 10 May 7.30pm, 

£19.50, £22.50, £28.50

Featuring: Lynn Anderson, Jeannie C Riley, Sandy Kelly, Ann Williamson and Sarah Jory. This heart-warming show brings together five of country music’s leading ladies. Lynn Anderson performs her hit songs including (I Never Promised You a) Rose Garden. Anderson has won virtually every award in country including the Country Music Association Female Vocalist of the Year, the Academy of Country Music Female Vocalist of the Year (twice), the American Music Award for Favourite Female Vocalist, Billboard’s Artist of the Decade and a Grammy Award. This remarkable show also features 60s icon Jeannie C Riley who is celebrated for her worldwide No. 1 hit Harper Valley PTA. Ireland’s Sandy Kelly, one of Scotland’s finest country singers, Ann Williamson, and joining them on stage is the British Country Music Association’s Female Vocalist of the Year for nine consecutive years, Sarah Jory, and her band. It’s a fabulous line up that promises to be an extraordinary night.

Dionne Warwick, Plus support, 

Monday 4 June 7.30pm, 

£28.50, £32.50, £37.50, £42.50, £75

Scintillating, soothing and sensual best describe the familiar and iconic voice of five-time Grammy Award-winning singer Dionne Warwick.With a career spanning 50 years, selling over 100 million records, she is a cornerstone of American pop music and culture. To celebrate 50 years in entertainment she comes to Liverpool Philharmonic Hall, accompanied by her band and a 12-piece string section. The evening will include her signature songs I Say a Little Prayer, Walk On By, That’s What Friends Are For, Alfie, WhattheWorld Needs Now is Love, Then Came You  and I’ll Never Fall in Love Again, and much more.

The Unthanks with Brighouse & Rastrick Brass Band, 

Sunday 17 June 

7.30pm, £18.50, £24.50

‘Haunting,original  and magnificent.’  The Guardian

Drawing on The Unthanks’ unique interpretations  of traditional song and the folk  music of the northeast,  this is a new commission with the National Brass Champions of Great Britain, Brighouse & Rastrick Brass Band, regarded by many as the best public subscription band in the world. The concert features newly written pieces and arrangements of traditional material for folk and brass

Liverpool Arabic Arts Festival, 

Sunday 15 July 7.30pm, 

£15, £22.50

A new project presented for the Liverpool Arabic Arts Festival and commissioned for the London 2012 Festival, the finale of the Cultural Olympiad. The outstanding oud player Khyam Allami brings together a group of musicians, from both traditional  and contemporary backgrounds, from Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Palestine, Egypt and Iraq for a beguiling blend of inspiring new acoustic and electronic music.

‘[Khyam Allami] epitomises the best of the new generation of oud players whose roots lie in the Eastern tradition but who also judiciously draw on a wider range of contemporary influences...his compositions are utterly bewitching. 5 out of 5 - Top of the World’. Songlines Magazine. Alif Ensemble

Alison Krauss & Union Station featuring Jerry Douglas,

 Saturday 14 July 7.30pm,

£32.50, £39.50, £45.50

Part of singer, songwriter and fiddler Alison Krauss' incontestable talent is how effortlessly she bridges the gap between rootsmusic, country, and rock & pop. She is possibly one of the greatest living performers in her field today having won 27 Grammy Awards, the most for any female and the third most of any artist ever. Her hauntingly delicate voice coupled with the emotive instrumentals of her band Union Station make for an incredible live experience.

Americana Weekend 27–28 July  

Lazy Lester, 

Friday 27 July 8.30pm, 

Rodewald Suite, £15

Back when blues was king and South Louisiana was the breeding ground for some of the most memorable American music ever recorded, at the heart of it was Lazy Lester. This key figure of US blues music has been making his laid back swamp blues for over six decades. Starting out as Lightnin’ Slim’s harpist of choice, perhaps his most famous hits in his own right are I'm a Lover Not a Fighter and I Hear You Knockin. The very embodiment of the American blues tradition Lester’s voice has enriched with age and his harmonica playing has lost nothing.

Pine Leaf Boys

Saturday 28 July 7.30pm, 

£16, £22

A night of quality Bluegrass and Cajun music from a line up of special guest artists led by the four-time Grammy-nominated band Pine Leaf Boys. Hailing from southwest Louisiana, this band have breathed new life into Cajun music, reviving ancient songs. Playing Cajun, Creole, and Zydeco, their mission is to present the beautiful, powerful music of their ancestors to the world and prove that it is still thriving and full of life

Marc Almond, 

Saturday 22 September 8pm,

 £24.50, £30.50

With Soft Cell, in partnership with Dave Ball, Almond achieved a string of international hits - biggest of all, their version of northern soul classic Tainted Love, while Memorabilia is cited as the first techno record ever. 10 million-plus worldwide record sales later, Soft Cell are a British icon, influencing generations of musicians - from Pulp, The Pet Shop Boys and Suede, to Goldfrapp and Antony and The Johnsons.

This concert coincides with the release of Almond’s new greatest hits double album. On stage Almond comes alive, his songs too, whether they are synth-pop, 60s-inspired kitsch-arama, bare-naked acoustic ballads or orchestrated splendour the experience is unique

Season Highlights at The Rodewald Suite

Jim Moray, 

Wednesday 18 April 8.30pm, £15

‘Along with an effortlessly melodic voice, Moray’s willingness to experiment  has made him one of the brightest, if  most controversial, young talents in English folk’  The Observer

Moray’s re-imagining of English traditional music saw him awarded the unprecedented combination of Best Newcomer and Best Album at the 2004 BBC Radio2 Folk Awards.After notching up a live reputation with performances at Glastonbury, Cambridge Folk Festival and WOMAD, his 2008 release, Low Culture picked up 'Roots’ Critics Poll and Mojo Magazine’s  Folk Album of the Year. He joined forces with Saul Rose (Waterson:Carthy) and William Bowerman (La Roux) to headline summer festivals through 2009 and released his fourth album In Modern History. He also produced his sister Jackie Oates’ award-winning Hyperboreans album. Still in his twenties this acclaimed singer, songwriter and  guitarist is at the forefront of a new folk revival in the UK. This is his second After 8 appearance.

John O’Connell, 

Saturday 5 May 8.30pm, 

£12

‘Absolutely  stunning. Johnny  is one of the most talented musicians I have come across’ Peter Hooton, The Farm  As co-founder of the celebrated Liverpool band Groundpig, O’Connell has his name indelibly written into the tapestry of the city’s music scene. Born and raised in Everton, his early influences were rooted in acoustic, folk and classical guitar. Grossman, Jansch, Renbourn and Carthy all inspire O’Connell and ignited his passion for music. It is these early influences that delicately resonate through his performances, where he mixes his own original songs with timeless instrumental guitar classics.

Mawkin, Friday 11 May 8.30pm,

 £12

‘Unconditionally mighty’  MOJO Magazine

Fresh off the back of the three-times BBC Folk Award nominated collaboration Mawkin: Causley, who we featured in the After 8 Series back in 2009, Mawkin are now forging a bold new sound that strengthens their instrumental roots and embraces a new, exuberant exploration into the traditional folk canon. Expect the mesmerising guitar playing of David Delarre, the beats of long-time producer and percussionist Lee Richardson, underpinning richly textured bass lines from Danny Crump.

Add a host of wild and emotive melodies from the frenetic fiddling of James Delarre inter-playing with the bellowing of Nick Cooke’s melodeon.

The Imagined Village, 

Friday 25 May 7.30pm, 

£19.50, £25.50

Featuring: Andy Gangadeen & Simon Richmond (The Bays), Eliza Carthy, Martin Carthy, Jackie Oates, Simon Emmerson & Johnny Kalsi (Afro Celt Sound System), Ali Friend(Clayhill/Red Snapper),Sheema Mukherjee (Transglobal Underground), Barney Morse Brown (Duotone).

One of the most unusual collaborations of the past decade, we initially welcomed The Imagined Village to Liverpool Philharmonic back in 2007 in one of their first ever performances. This unique project has successfully updated the sound of modern English folk and has produced two critically acclaimed and commercially successful albums. Now there is a third installment.

The band have appeared on BBC Two’s Later…With Jools, won out at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards and made a triumphant return to Liverpool Philharmonic in 2010. If they had initially developed as a loose collective of singers and musicians, the band has subsequently consolidated into a working, growing, organic group. This stability in personnel is shiningly reflected in the third album and the excitement of their live shows which go from strength to strength.

Woody Guthrie, Folk Club Special, 

Thursday 31 May 8.30pm,

 £10

Nora Guthrie, daughter of Woody Guthrie, gives a personal talk about her father’s life and music a hundred years since his birth. Woody Guthrie is still one of the most influential artists in music, counting Bob Dylan, John Lennon, Billy Bragg and Bruce Springsteen and a myriad of others as fans. You’ll also hear music from Alun Parry founder of the Woody Guthrie Folk Club and one of the UK’s leading political folk singer songwriters and Rich Man’s Ruin a radical folk trio who have built a fine reputation with their three-part harmonies and versions of Guthrie songs

Double Bill Amelia Curran and Lizzie Nunnery,

Thursday 21 June 8.30pm, 

£12

‘One of this country’s finest singer-songwriters’ Montreal Gazette on Amelia Curran.  

Newfoundland-born Curran describes song-writing as an act of ‘expressing the inexpressible’; her achingly beautiful songs sneak up on you, little bits of the lyrics stick in your head. Witness her perform them  live and you’ll understand why, although relatively unknown in the UK, she is making waves in Canada.

Nunnery has stories to tell, and a voice that makes you listen. She released her debut album Company of Ghosts in 2010 when BBC Radio 2’s Mike Harding named it in his top ten releases of the year. She also appeared in the inaugural Irish Sea Sessions at Liverpool Philharmonic and her reputation as a captivating new voice in British folk continues to grow.

Article posted by Musicmafia

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Dame Evelyn Glennie to play the Liverpool Philharmonic Hall

DaDaFest 2012

Presents

AN EVENING WITH EVELYN GLENNIE

World Renowned Percussionist Returns to City, As Part Of DaDaFest, After Decade Long Gap

A decade since her last performance in Liverpool, world renowned percussionist, Dame Evelyn Glennie is set to return to the city’s  on Saturday 18 August as part of DaDaFest 2012, the world’s longest running festival of Disability and Deaf Arts.

During the evening, Glennie will perform a number of contemporary and classical music  works for percussion including ‘Clapping Music’ by Steve Reich, ‘Rhythmic Caprice’ by Leigh Howard Stevens and her own arrangement of ’Libertango’ by Piazolla. In the second part of the evening, she will give a talk on what being a musician means to her, how her career as a musician has developed and how she learned to feel sound in order to become a professional musician, followed by a question and answer session.

Evelyn Glennie is the first person in musical history to successfully create and sustain a full-time career as a solo percussionist. As one of the most eclectic and innovative musicians on the scene today she is constantly redefining the goals and expectations of percussion by creating performances of such vitality they almost constitute a new type of performance. The Grammy-winning percussionist and composer became almost completely deaf by the age of 12, but her hearing loss brought her a deeper understanding of and connection to the music she loves. She's the subject of the documentary Touch the Sound, which explores this unconventional and intriguing approach to percussion. 

Glennie's music challenges the listener to ask where music comes from: Is it more than simply a translation from score to instrument to audience? How can a musician who has almost no hearing play with such sensitivity and compassion?

Along with her vibrant solo career, Glennie has collaborated with musicians ranging from symphony orchestras to Björk, DJ Yoda and the ‘Beat Boxer’ Shlomo. She is also creating new challenges through her collaboration with the Dance Choreographer Marc Brew as part of the 2012 Cultural Olympiad. Other collaborations include Nana Vasconcelos, Kodo, Bobby McFerrin, Sting and the Taipei Traditional Chinese Orchestra. 

Her career has taken her to hundreds of concert stages around the world, and she's recorded 28 solo albums, winning a Grammy for her recording of Bartók's Sonata for Two Pianos and Percussion, and another for her 2002 collaboration with Bela Fleck. Glennie’s album Shadow Behind the Iron Sun continues to be a bestselling album demonstrating the brilliant improvisational skills of this ground breaking performer.

Evelyn said: ‘I am looking forward to performing as part of this year’s DaDaFest and believe that it is an exciting organisation, which is doing such a good job in pushing the boundaries of Disability and Deaf Arts, giving so many opportunities to deaf and disabled artists. I am excited about the prospect of performing again at the Philharmonic Hall in Liverpool, sharing my music and thoughts with the people of this wonderful and vibrant city.’

Ruth Gould, CEO of DaDaFest said: ‘I am delighted to bring Evelyn Glennie back to Liverpool as part of DaDaFest 2012 as one of our headline artists. She is both an inspiration and a pioneer in the fields of music and Deaf Arts, bringing classical and contemporary percussion and deaf culture into the mainstream. Evelyn’s career has broken new ground in terms of how disabled and deaf people are perceived as leaders in the arts. Sometimes living with impairments can create new and vibrant methods of creating work, in Evelyn’s case music, which leads to a greater appreciation of how we as Disabled/ Deaf people contribute to new arts experiences.’

Michael Eakin, Chief Executive of Liverpool Philharmonic said: ‘We are delighted to be working with DaDaFest for the first time this year as a host venue. The festival has become an important part of Liverpool’s arts calendar, attracting international artists as seen in the return of an artist of the calibre of Evelyn Glennie to the city for the first time in a decade. Liverpool Philharmonic last worked with Evelyn in 2002 when she gave the world premiere performance with the Orchestra of Ignition, a percussion concerto written especially for her by David Horne, our composer-in-residence at the time.  We are looking forward to welcoming her back for what will undoubtedly be an inspiring solo recital and talk.’

You can view Evelyn Glennie’s TED Talk on how to listen by clicking: http://www.ted.com/talks/evelyn_glennie_shows_how_to_listen.html

"Evelyn Glennie is simply a phenomenon of a performer." New York Times

DaDaFest 2012, the biggest, most comprehensive and challenging festival of Disability & Deaf Arts in the world, takes place in Liverpool from Fri13 July – Sun 2 September, with the majority of live events concentrated in the last two weeks of August. Events range from ‘Niet Normaal, Difference On Display’, a major international visual arts exhibition, which is also part of the London 2012 Festival, to cutting-edge comedy, deaf culture events and performances by leading international musicians, in a programme that will both entertain and present art forms from different cultural perspectives. The Festival’s theme, TransActions - Fluid Bodies: Shifting Identities, will look at how disability affects us all, examining exchanges that occur between people and technology, and how a sense of identity is bound up with our changing bodies.

For more information go to www.dadahello.com search for DaDaFest on Facebook or follow @DaDaDisDeaf on Twitter.

PERFORMANCE DETAILS

AN EVENING WITH EVELYN GLENNIE

Saturday 18 August, 7.30pm

Tickets: £20 - £27.50

Tickets on Sale: Monday 26 March @ 9.30am

How to Book: You can book in person at Liverpool Philharmonic Hall, Hope Street. Alternatively, call 0151 709 3789 or click www.dadafest.com.

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The English Concert comes to St Georges Hall Liverpool

A Gala Performance of THE ENGLISH CONCERT
Conducted by Harry Bicket

Featuring guest soprano soloist Helen Massey

In support of the Guillemot Trust.

One of the World’s Finest Chamber Orchestras comes to Liverpool

This October, the magnificent St George’s Hall will play host to one of the finest chamber orchestras in the world – The English Concert – and in turn will provide Liverpool with one of its top calendar highlights of 2011.

The exceptional 9 piece orchestra will deliver a string of Baroque classics by composers Purcell, Bach and Vivaldi in St George’s Concert Room.  The evening is conducted by the highly praised Artistic Director, Harry Bicket and will also feature soprano soloist Helen Massey, any profits will go to the Guillemot Trust charity.

It has been two decades since The English Concert last played in Liverpool and the Northwest, underlining the importance – and indeed, rarity – of the upcoming visit on Sunday 2^nd October 2011. This is a unique opportunity to attend an evening of inspiring performance and enjoy listening to a group of world-renowned and internationally applauded musicians.

Talented and beautiful soprano, Helen Massey, who originates from Cheshire, has performed to critical acclaim all over the UK and Europe.  Recent concert appearances include Haydn's St. Nicholas Mass and Beatus Vir by J. C. Bach in Glasgow Cathedral, Handel’s Messiah in Truro Cathedral, Mozart’s Exultate Jubilate in Grantham and Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana at Eton College.

Conductor and Artistic Director, Liverpool born Harry Bicket, is internationally renowned in his field and especially noted for his interpretation of Baroque and Classical repertoire. He has led tours of The English Concert in the UK, USA, Europe and the Middle East, as well as conducting symphony orchestras all over the world, including Liverpool’s own Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra in 2008, when he conducted the world premiere of Kenneth Hesketh's oratorio "Like the sea, like Time".

Harry Bicket commented: “I remember well growing up in Liverpool and seeing St George's Hall as an iconic landmark of the city, but one which was sadly boarded up and not open to the public, so it is an enormous pleasure to be returning many years later to perform in a building that is not only now open, but restored to its former glory. The English Concert and I are thrilled to be returning to Liverpool after many years, and performing the music of the most celebrated Baroque composers of their day.”

The prestigious event is being organised for the Guillemot Trust charity, in order to raise the profile of the services they offer.  The charity operates from the Royal Mersey Yacht Club and uses their premises, moorings and facilities. The Guillemot Trust was set up in close association with the Yacht club and many of the club’s member’s volunteers their services to the trust in order to ensure its smooth running and long term survival. The Trust deed stipulates that the vessel should serve a wider population giving people of all ages; especially the young and less advantaged, and non-members the opportunity to enjoy the pleasures of learning to sail. 

Captain Hugh Daglish LVO JP Royal Navy, Chairman of the Guillemot Trust, explains: “Being afloat, you quickly come to respect the natural forces of wind, weather and tide, and learn to work with them. In a sailing boat, you discover something about yourself and the pleasures of good teamwork. From our great river you see the Liverpool and Wirral waterfronts in one sweep of the eye. The Guillemot Trust aims to make these life enriching experiences available to people who would not otherwise have the opportunity. The Trust is very new, so we are most grateful to the concert organisers, and we are honoured that The English Concert is performing in Liverpool to raise awareness and funds for our cause”.

The special event at St George’s Hall will be held in the stunning Concert Room – the perfectly opulent setting for this glittering, sensational musical performance. In line with an event of this calibre is an exclusive VIP package for a limited number of people. The package includes premium positioned seating, an event programme, pre-show and interval drinks and canapés in a VIP private suite.

The Concert Room at St George’s Hall was designed by the architect Charles Cockerell and is widely considered to be one of his finest creations. The stage has been host to more than a few famous names; Charles Dickens gave many readings there and described it as a perfect venue.

Tickets for this one-off event are expected to sell quickly. Tickets go on sale on Monday 23^rd May and a special early booking offer is available for tickets booked and paid before 31^st July 2011 (excludes premium seating).

The Guillemot Trust is a registered charity - Registered number: 1141765. Patron Dame Lorna Muirhead DBE

PERFORMANCE DETAILS

THE ENGLISH CONCERT

Conducted by Harry Bicket

Featuring guest soprano soloist Helen Massey

Sunday 2^nd October 2011 @ 7.30pm

St George’s Hall Concert Room, North Entrance, William Brown Street, Liverpool, L1 1JJ

Tickets on sale: Monday 23^rd May 2011

VIP Package - £60.00 – Price includes - Premium positioned seat, programme and pre-show and interval drinks reception (including canapés) in a private suite.

Stalls and Curved seating - £37.50 (E/B Discount £35.00)

Balcony Seating - £27.50 (E/B Discount £25.00)

Early Booking Discount: Book and Pay by 31^st July 2011 and receive £2.50 off per ticket (EXCLUDES Premium Seats)

Group Bookings: 1 in 10 goes free

How to Book – All bookings are processed through the Philharmonic Hall Box Office

Online at http://boxoffice.liverpoolphil.com. By telephone on 0151 709 3789. By post/in person - Box Office, Liverpool Philharmonic Hall, Hope Street, Liverpool, L1 9BP (Opening Hours, Monday to Saturday 10am - 5.30pm).

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